Transport Energy Growth Predictions Startling

Ministry of Economic Development projections for
transport energy use are a "wake-up call" says John
Blakeley, Convenor of the Sustainable Energy Forum. "New
Zealand's transport energy use is already very high, and the
MED's projected 1.3% annual growth ignores the golden rule
-- if you are in a hole, stop digging."

The MED Reference
Scenario, released in the latest Energy outlook report,
suggests that transport use will increase by another third
by 2025.

"We need a radical rethink about the way people
and goods are moved, and whether we need that extra
transport. If the trend in transport fuel demand is to be
reversed, a suite of policies needs to evolve soon to create
change. London, for example, has shown that even a primitive
road pricing approach can have a big effect on congestion
and bring major economic gains to businesses. Such measures
in Auckland would be far cheaper than building more
motorways, and more effective. New Zealand will be left
further behind if we persist with failed last-century
policies." said Mr Blakeley.

"To reverse the trend in
increasing transport energy demand on imported fuels, New
Zealand also needs to move significantly away from importing
large new and used motor vehicles for personal use (such as
sports utility vehicles and four wheel drive vehicles)
towards importing much smaller, lighter and more
fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrid-electric vehicles,
and also to implement programmes to promote the greater use
of alternative fuels, including blending such fuels with
petrol and diesel" Mr Blakeley said.

"Hopefully these
changes can be achieved voluntarily but if not, for
environmental and economic reasons, and perhaps availability
of sufficient supply, the imperative of restricting growth
in energy consumption could mean that strong incentives or
even a degree of compulsion may have to be applied."

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